VRIMS Bihar FMG interns protest alleged 5-month stipend delay, institute bans medicos' entry

Chakia: Frustrated over the non-payment of internship stipends for the past five months despite performing regular clinical duties, Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) at Virat Ramayan Institute of Medical Sciences (VRIMS), Chakia, staged a protest recently demanding immediate release of their pending stipends. Later the same day, the institute issued an order restricting the entry of certain FMGE interns into the campus with immediate effect, citing alleged obstruction of patient care and unauthorised interference with institutional access.

During the course of the protest, the interns alleged threats, verbal abuse, physical assault, and misconduct towards female interns. They have alleged that they have not received their internship stipends for the past five months

In a notice submitted to the institute's administration on July 1, the interns said that they had joined the compulsory rotating medical internship on 10/01/2026 and have been performing all duties assigned to them, including regular clinical work, emergency duties, night duties, and other responsibilities as directed by the institution.

However, they alleged that despite fulfilling all the obligations, their stipends were not paid regularly. As per the applicable NMC guidelines, medical interns are entitled to receive the prescribed monthly stipend.

The medicos alleged that they received only one month's stipend of Rs 27,000 after vigorous efforts in April 2026. Even though they had repeatedly approached the concerned administrative authorities over the issue, no concrete action has been taken.

"Unfortunately, every month we have been asked to wait with assurances that the stipend would be released once the Director was available or after completion of administrative formalities. Despite these repeated assurances, our legitimate dues remain unpaid. If our legitimate dues are not cleared within this period, we will be left with no alternative but to commence a peaceful and indefinite protest from 6 July 2026. We also wish to make it absolutely clear that this protest will not be withdrawn until all pending stipend dues are fully released. We will not accept partial payment or assurances of future payment, as similar assurances were previously given but not honoured," the letter mentioned.

Institute Restricts Entry of FMGE Interns

On the same day, July 6, the institute issued an office notice restricting the entry of certain FMGE interns into the campus and hospital premises with immediate effect until further orders.

The notice stated that the interns were found engaging in conduct that is in serious violation of hospital discipline, patient care protocols, and institutional norms. The institute observed that the said interns have repeatedly locked the doors of the consultation and patient care areas of the Department of Orthopaedics and the Department of Surgery to restrict and deny patients timely access to the treating doctors.

"This act has directly obstructed patients from interacting with and consulting the doctors on duty, causing avoidable hardship and delay in patient care, and has further disrupted the normal functioning and access system of the hospital premises. Such conduct amounts to gross misconduct, willful obstruction of patient care services, and unauthorised interference with the hospital's access and functioning system, and cannot be permitted under any circumstances in a healthcare institution where patient welfare is paramount," the notice added.

Following this, the institute decided to restrict the entry of FMGE interns involved in the above conduct and directed them not to be allowed into the campus and hospital premises of VRIMS until further orders.

It instructed that security personnel at all entry points should strictly ensure that the said interns are not permitted entry into the campus, patient care areas, wards, OPDs, or any other hospital premises.

The institute also directed that the departments of orthopaedics and surgery ensure that patient care areas and consultation rooms remain unobstructed and freely accessible to patients at all times, and that doors to doctors' chambers/OPDs are not locked during working hours.

"This restriction shall remain in force pending a formal inquiry into the incident(s) by the Institutional disciplinary/inquiry committee, and shall not preclude further disciplinary action, including but not limited to suspension, termination from the internship programme, or reporting to the competent regulatory/university authority, based on the outcome of the inquiry. All Heads of Department, Ward In-charges, and Security staff are directed to strictly comply with this notice and report any violation immediately to the Medical Superintendent's Office," the institute said in the notice.

Also read- FMGs protest over stipend, registration delays, Rajasthan medical council assures solution